VICTORIA COURT OF COUNTY

COURT DIRECTIONS 2017–22 MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF JUDGE

This document is the expression For more than 160 years the Court has kept of the ’s commitment pace with a changing world. When it was established in 1852, the Court’s principal role to improvement over the next was to handle small civil claims in the County five years. It details the priorities of Bourke (which takes in parts of present the Court will pursue to ensure it day ). Today the County Court has continues to meet the expectations jurisdiction for the whole of and comprises 67 judges (including three who sit of the community. The goals are as the heads of other jurisdictions). It now ambitious, but necessarily so. hears even the most complex civil matters The world is changing – rapidly and deals with all indictable offences except and profoundly – so we must adapt murder and . if we are to meet the challenges Court Directions 20 17–22 is a roadmap and embrace the opportunities for the next era – guiding projects in that lie ahead. areas including technology, community engagement, service provision, and judicial and staff support. In one sense the changes brought about through this document will be significant. However, the County Court, with its long and proud history, will remain true to its fundamental role in the community – it will continue to uphold the highest standards of fairness in the administration of justice, and its commitment to independence, impartiality and transparency will remain unwavering. I commend this document to you.

Chief Judge Peter Kidd County Court of Victoria ABOUT THE COUNTY COURT OF VICTORIA

The County Court is the principal trial court in Victoria. It hears and determines over 12,000 matters each year.

The Chief Judge and the County Court’s 66 other judges are supported by over 300 staff. Judges sit in three divisions: Criminal, Common Law and Commercial. In addition to proceedings in Melbourne, judges hear cases at circuit courts in 12 regional Victorian centres. County Court judges also sit as the heads of jurisdiction at the Magistrates’ Court, Coroners Court and Children’s Court, and they sit at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal as Vice-Presidents.

OUR PURPOSE To hear and determine matters in a fair, timely, efficient and accessible way.

OUR STRENGTHS ° A commitment to the very highest standards of justice

° Adherence to the principles of openness and transparency

° Professional and highly-motivated staff ° Future focused OUR CONTEXT

The Court has identified a variety ° With continued strong population growth of factors currently influencing, or and the substantial increase in police numbers, the number of court cases will likely to impact on the environment increase significantly. The infrastructure it operates in. and processes of the Court will be challenged to handle this caseload.

° Increased community interest in public ° Growing caseloads will be accompanied institutions will lead to demands for by increased case complexity. Ongoing greater openness and transparency. changes to government policy and the law, increasing use of technology in evidence, ° Media attention, including via social media, increasingly complex forensic evidence, will, increasingly, shape and even represent and the expanding number of self- community opinion about the Court and, in represented litigants are among the many turn, lead to demands for improved access drivers of complexity. to a broader range of court information. ° With greater independence, the courts are, ° The unfolding digital revolution presents and will continue to be more accountable an on-going opportunity for the Court for their financial efficiency and to improve its services and interactions sustainability. with the community, not just with new technology but through new systems ° Despite funding constraints, court users and processes. will expect ongoing improvements in efficiency and services and timeliness. ° To enhance public trust and confidence, the Court will need to continue to work ° While respecting the separation to promote public understanding – of between the courts and the other arms the Court, and of the fairness, integrity of government, the Court will have an and independence of the court system ongoing role providing, where appropriate, as a whole. considered contributions in relation to justice policy. ° The government and the community are not only interested in the operations ° Judges’ work will continue to expand of the County Court, but also in its and they will continue to be exposed to contribution to the performance of the difficult and confronting cases. There will broader justice system. be greater public scrutiny of their work.

° With the greater independence of the ° Court administrators will require court system, there is an opportunity for exceptional skills, commitment and the courts, the tribunal and Court Services professionalism to support the imperative Victoria to work together to provide better that courts continue to improve, both in and more integrated services to the terms of their performance and efficiency. community. OUR OBJECTIVES

The County Court’s priorities for the next five years will be guided by seven objectives.

IMPROVE THE COURT USER EXPERIENCE HARNESS NEW TECHNOLOGY Enhance services and programs to meet Embrace new technology and rethink the needs of court users and improve systems to enhance transparency, justice outcomes. improve service and increase productivity.

ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT JUDGES & STAFF Improve transparency and the accessibility Strengthen capability, and support of information to build understanding of the well-being of judges and staff. the Court and its processes.

REFORM BASED ON EVIDENCE EXPAND & EXPLORE SPECIALISATION Implement improvement initiatives based Specialise to better meet the needs on best-practice and strong evidence. of specific court user groups.

COLLABORATE WITHIN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM Contribute to the overall performance and effectiveness of the justice system. OUR PRIORITIES

The following priorities support HARNESS NEW TECHNOLOGY the Court’s purpose and will help ° Implement a modern end-to-end it achieve its objectives. case management system. ° Improve business intelligence and data analytics capabilities. IMPROVE THE COURT USER EXPERIENCE ° Provide a modern flexible IT environment Listen to, and understand court user needs ° which supports personal and organisational and interests via surveys and productivity. other means.

° Make information easily available to EXPAND AND EXPLORE SPECIALISATION court users and targeted to their needs. ° Pilot a new operating model for circuit ° Improve the efficiency and effectiveness courts at . of our systems to reduce complexity, ° Explore the expansion of the County and the time and cost to court users. to other regional locations. Provide improved support services to ° ° Explore the potential of other specialist self-represented litigants. courts.

REFORM BASED ON EVIDENCE ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY Develop robust, evidence-based business ° ° Make court information and data open, cases to support requests for external transparent and easy to find, where support for new systems, services and appropriate. initiatives. ° Use social media and other digital channels ° Test and implement improved systems to engage with the community and build for listing and case managing trials. understanding of the Court’s work. Redesign the systems and work of ° ° Proactively engage with traditional media. Registry to improve service and increase productivity. ° Increase publication and understanding of sentences. ° Develop a model to better understand and forecast demand. ° Improve media access to court information. ° Webcast sentences where appropriate. ° Develop and implement in-house and outreach programs for schools.

° Redevelop the Court’s website. COLLABORATE WITHIN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM ° Work with other justice agencies to streamline system-wide processes.

° Undertake joint projects with other jurisdictions where there are synergies and economies of scale.

° Share and reuse common technology systems across courts, where possible.

° Standardise back-end systems and processes and share services with other courts where this makes sense.

° Provide input on broader justice policy issues on the impacts on the Court and its users.

SUPPORT JUDGES AND STAFF ° Improve systems to enhance work satisfaction and productivity.

° Improve induction and support for new judges.

° Expand judicial professional development, both through the Judicial College of Victoria and internally.

° Provide better support for the return of reserve judges.

° Expand judge and staff well-being programs.

° Build the capability of court staff by increasing investment in training and development. County Court of Victoria 250 William Street Melbourne Victoria 3000 Telephone 03 8636 6510 countycourt.vic.gov.au